Controller



Aug. l1, 1925.

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' 1,549,697 C. C. WHITTAKER ET AL CONTROLLER Filed Oct. 7, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 11, 1925..

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES C'. WHITTAKER AND DONALD C. WEST, 0F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AS-

SIGNORS TO WESTINGI-IOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A COR- PCRATION 0F PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLER.

Application filed October 7, 1921.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, CHARLES C. TV1-rrrrnitnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, and DONALD (l WEST, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful lmprovement in Controllers, of `which the following is a specilication.

Our invention relates to controllers and it has particular relation to master controllers for governing a plurality of motors in a control system, such, for example, as would be required for electric locomotives.

@ne object of our invention is to provide a controller for governing a plurality of motors that shall be simple, compact and economical in construction and reliable and positive in operation.

Another object of our invention is to provide means for so interlocking a plurality of drums of a controller that any one of the drums may be independently actuated or the drums may be actuated simultaneously.

Still another object of our invention is to provide interlocking means for preventing improper operation of the master reverser when any one of the controller drums occupies an operating position.

A further object of our invention is to provide a controller having means for accelerating groups of motors simultaneously and means for adjusting the resistance in circuit with any particular group of motors to secure more uniform distribution of the load upon the motors.

Briefly speaking, our invention consists in so constructing a controller having a plurality of rotatably mounted drums that the drums may be independently actuated by means of separate handles or they may be simultaneously actuated by means of a single handle.

For a better understanding of our invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 of which is avview, partly in side elevation and partly in section, of a master controller designed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the master con-- troller illustrated in Fig. 1;

Serial No. 506,173.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional View, the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. t is a view, partly in end elevation and partly in section, taken along the line IV-IV of Fig. l, of the handles and interlocking mechanism illustrated in Fig'. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a portion of one of the handles illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing;

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view, partly in section, of one of the interlocking members illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing;

Figs. 8 and 9 are views, in plan and in side elevation, respectively, of an interlocking member illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing', a master controller 1 is provided with a frame 2, in which is mounted a plurality of drums: 3 to 6, inclusive. The drums 3 to 6, inclusive, are provided with a plurality of contact segments 7, which are adapted to engage a plurality of sets of control lingers 8. The drum 3 is rotatably mounted upon a suitably ournalled vertical shaft 9 and is attached to a pinion 10 which meshes with a gear segment 11.A T he segment 11 may be actuated by a handle 12 which occupies the uppermost position of all the operating handles, the segment being mechanically connected to the handle 12 by means of a shaft 13.

The drum 4L is secured to the shaft 9 to be rotated thereby. A pinion 11i, which is secured to the shaft 9, may be actuated by agear segment 15. The segment 15 is secured to a hollow shaft 16 which is mechaniA cally connected to a handle 17, this handle being` mounted next in order below the handle 12. The tubular shaft 16 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 13.

The drum 6, which is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 18, is secured to a pinion 19 which is adapted to be actuated by a segmental gear 20. The segmental gear 2O is mechanically connected to a tubular shaft 21 which is rotatably mounted upon the tubular shaft 16. The tubular shaft 21 is mechanically connected to the handle 22 which is located in a plane below the handle1'7 and is adapted to act-nate the shaft 21.

The drum 5 is secured to the shaft 18 taken along which may be actuated by the pinion 23. The pinion 23 is adapted to be actuated by the segmental gear 2a which is securely mounted upon a tubular shaft 25. The tubular shaft 25 is rotatably mounted upon the shaft 21 and may be actuated by the lowermost handle 2G.

The handles 12, 17, 22 and 26 are prei'- erably secured to the cor esponding shafts 13, 16, 21 and 25 by means et individual clamping members 2T and bolts 2S.

The manner in which the shafts 16, 21 and 25 are concentrically mounted upon the shatt 13 may be readily understood by referring to lliO. 2 oit the drawine'.

A master reverser 31 rality of drums 32 and 38 mounted upon a shalt 3-1. be actuated by the reveir handle 85.

comprises a pluwhich are securely rllhe shaft ell may cam member 3G is securely mounted upon the shalt 8-1 between the drums 32 and 33.

The cam member has a plurality o1 indentations corresponding to iorward and reverse positions ot the master reverser', marked ll and R, respectively and an intermediate or oli position.

n n interlocking member 37 is pivotally mounted upon a stud 3S and is provided with projections and il() at its extremities (see Fig. 3). The pro` iction 3E) is adapted to engage the indenta ions marked F, R and O11 of the cam member 36 and is maintained in engagement with the cam member by means of a resilient member or spring 111.

The projection L10 oit the interlocking member 37, which is 01' sull'ioient depth to be capable ot engaging all tour segmental gears 11, 15, 2O and 2l, is adapted to iit into openings 42 thereof. lllhen the controller drums 3 to 6, inclusive, are in their oil positions, the openings e2 ot the segmental gears 11, 15, 2O and 2-1 are located in vertical alinement and occupy the positions illustrated in Fig. El ot the drawings, in which positions, the projection el() olf the interlocking member 3.7 is adapted to enter all i'our openings It any one o1 the controller drums 3 to G, inclusive, occupies an operative position, the corresponding opening +12 will not be in the position illust ated in Fig. El, and the interlocking member 37 may not be actuated in a counter-clockwise direction. llhe interlocking member 8T and its projections 39 and 410 are so designed that the master reverser may be actuated through the olli position only when the speed drums 3 to 5, inclusive, are in their oil positions. Moreover, the interlocking member 37 makes it impossible to actuate the speed drun'is 3 to G, inclusive, trom their oil positions it the master reverser 31 occupies its off position. By means ot' this interlocking between the master reverser and the speed drums, it

is impossible Ytor improper circuits to be lormed in the control system.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 oi the drawing, a guide-bar 13 is securely i'nounted upon an upper cover member fla'- which is attached to the trame 2 ot the controller 1. A pin --l-a, which is slidably mounted in projections 15 constituting parts o1E the handle 26, is biased into engagement with trie guide-bar 413 by means or a resilient member or spring (3. rilhe guide-bar -ll and the pin serve to prevent the iandle 26 from occupying positions intermediate the controller nodal-ics. in arcuate member fittizi, which. is secured to the member 43 by bolts 17a, is provided ior indicating the positions oit the drums 3 to G, inclusive.

movable interlocking member L17, illusd in detail in Figs. l, 8 and t), is slidably mounted upon the handle 2G, in a manner hereinafter described. il. plurality oi" arcuate rack members lil-8, which are illustrated in detail in Fig. oif the drawings, are mechanically .secured to the movable niemlrer il? by means ot bolts L19. The arcuate members -jltl are uniiormlf7 spaced by means of the tubular members or sleeves 51 which mounted upon the bolts l-O.

The arcuate members are provided with teeth which are normally engaged by latch pins 53. 'ihe latch pins 53 are slidably mounte in blocks which constitute parts ot the handles 12, 1i and 22, as is best illustrated in Fig. o' the drawings. The pins 53 are mechani ally connected, by means o1 rods 56, to latching members which are pivotally mounted upon the handles 12, 1T and The la thing members 55 are biased to the positions illustrated in the diawings by means o1 resilient meml'iers 5T which are mounted in eachV of the handles 12, 17 and` 22. rhe handles 12, 17 and 22 may be released by applying pressure upon the latching members to eilect outward movement ot the pins The pins are slidably mounted in the blocks which constitute integral parts of the handles 12, 1l' and 22, by means ot itlat inembers 5S and screws 59, as is illustrated in Fig. l o1 the drawings.

For a better understanding ot the construction oLt the niovable interlocking member 17, reference may be made to Figs. l, 5, 6, S and 9 of the drawing. The movable member il? is a 1i at arcuate member provided with a plurality et teeth G1, which are eugaged by the movable pin 53 in the handle 22, and with a plurality of pins The pins are so spaced and dei-tigned that they are adapted to move in grooves G3 ol' a projecting portion (b1- o't the handle 213. lilovcment ot the member si? is limited by stops or studs (l5 which are rigidly positioned within the slots 63 and may engage the corresponuing pins G2. rllhe movable member 47 is clamped on the projecting portion 64 of the handle 26 by means of l shaped members 66 which are secured thereto by means of bolts 67, as is best illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Springs 68 are provided for biasing the movable member 47 to its outer position, thereby bringing the notches 52 and 61 of the movable members 48 and 47, respectively, into engagement With the pins 53 which are mounted upon the handles 12, 17 and 22.

The movable member 47 may be actuated toward the shaft 13 of the controlleiI l by means of a pivotally mounted handle or latching member 69 and a rod 7() which is mechanically connected to the handle 69 by means of a pin 71. rl`he simultaneous operation of the controller drums may be eiiiected by actuating the controller handle without moving the latching member 69.

Under these conditions, the handles 12, 17 and 22 Will be actuated by the handle 26, as they are mechanically connected through the movable member 47, arcuate members 48 and pins 53. lf it is considered desirable to accelerate or decelerate one of the motors separately, the latching member 55 of the corresponding one of the handles 1;, 17 and 22 may be actuated inwardly prior to moving the particular handle. llVhen the latching member is moved inwardly, the pin 53 is Withdrz-trvn from engagement with the corresponding arcuate member 48, or 47, and that particular controller handle is free to move.

Il it is desirable to independently accelerate the motor that is governed by the drum 5, the operator, by actuating the latching member 69 prior to movement of the handle 26, Will cause the movable member 47, and hence the arcuate members 48, to move inwardly towards the shaft 13. Therefore, all the arcuate members 48 Will be disengaged from their corresponding latching pins 53. The pins 53 are provided with suitable stops 53@ to prevent their following up the movement of the members 47 and 48 toward the shaft 13.

From the above description, it is apparent that We have provided means whereby a plurality of controller drums may be independently actuated by separate handles or they may be simultaneously actuated by means of mechanical interlocking when one of the handles is actuated, regardless of their relative angular positions.

While We have shown our invention in the preferred form, it is apparent that minor modifications in the arrangement and structure of the controller may be made Without departing from the spirit thereof. wWe desire, therefore, to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

`We claim as our invention:

1. In a controller, in combination, a plurality of rotatable controller drums, a plurality of operating handles for the drums, means cooperative to eilect the setting of a selected operating handle in dilferent predetermined positions and means for locking the other operating handles in any predetermined relation to said selected operating handle.

2. In a controller, the combination with a plurality of drums, and means comprising a plurality of handles for independentlyactuating said drums, of a member slidably mounted upon one of said handles, means attached to said handle for actuating said member, and interlocking means associated with the remainder of said handles and governed by said member for securing simultaneous operation of said drums.

3. ln a controller, in combination, a plurality of rotatable controller drums, a plurality of operating handles for the drul'ns, means cooperative to effect the setting of a selected operating handle in different predetermined positions, means for locking the other operating handles in any predetermined relation to said selected operating handle and means disposed on said selected handle operative to effect its release from the other operating handles.

4. In a controller, in combination, a plurality of rotatable controller drums, a plurality of operating handles for the drums, means cooperative to effect the setting of a selected operating handle in difieren-t predetermined positions, means for locking the other operating handles in any predetermined relation to said selected operating handle, means disposed on said selected handle operative to effect its release from the other operating handles and means associ ated with each of the handles, other than the selected operating handle, for effecting their individual release from all of the other handles to permit independent operation.

In a controller, the combination with a plurality of drums, and means cominising a plurality of handles for actuating said drums, of an interlocking member movably mounted upon one of said handles, means for biasing said meml.-er to an operative position, means for actuating said member to an inoperative position, and lmeans comprising a member mounted upon said first member for mechanically connecting said rst member to another of said handles.

6. ln a controller, the combination With a plurality of drums, and means comprising a plurality of handles for independently actuating said drums, of a plurality of members securely connected together. means for movably mounting said members upon one of said handles, and means associated With another of said handles for normally engaging one of said members.

7. ln a controller, in combination, a plulli Cil

lit)

rality ot rotatable controller drums, a plurality of operating handles for the drums, means cooperative to effect the setting` of a selected operating handle in di ll'erent predetermined positions, means for locking the other operatingl handle in any predetermined relation to said selected operating handles and means associated with each ot' the handles for e'tlecting their individual release from all ot the other handles to permit independent operation.

S. In a controller, in combination, a plurality ot rotatable controller drums, a plurality o'j operating handles tor the drums, means cooperative to elliect the setting ot' a selected operatingl handle in different predetermined positions, means for locking` the other operating handles in any predetermined relation to said selected operating handle, a reversingl drum and means cooperative to prevent the operation of said reversing drum unless said control drums are in a predetermined position.

9. ln a controller, in combination, a. plurality of rotatable controllerl drums, a plurality ot operating` handles tor the drums, means cooperative to etlec` the setting ot a selected operating handle in different predetermined positions, means for lockingl the ther operating handles in any predetermined relation to said selected operating handle, a reversing drum and means cooperative to prevent the operation ot said reversing drum unless said control drums are in Inedetermined positions, said means being adapted to prevent the operation oit the control drums when the reversing drum is in an oit position.

lO. ln a controller', in combination, a plurality of rotatable controller' drums, a plurality of operating handles for the drums, means cooperative to elect the setting ot a selected operating handle in different predetermined positions, means tor locking the other operating handles in any predetermined relation to said selected operating handle, means disposed on said selected handle operative to ellect its release 'from the other operating handles, means associated With each of the handles, other than the selected handle, tor ett'ecting their individual release to permit independent operation, a reversing drum and means cooperative to prevent the operation of said reversing drum unless said control drums are in predetermined positions, said means being adapted to prevent the operation ot' the control drums when the reversing drum is in an off position.

11. In a controller, in combination, a plurality of rotatable control drums, a plurality of operating handles for said drums, trains of gears interposed between said operating handles and the respective drums, means cooperative to ett'ect the setting ot a selected operating handle in different predetermined positions, a movably-mounted rack-and-latch mechanism cooperative to lock the other handles in predetermined positions relative to the selected handle and latch-releasing means tor effecting the individual release of said other handles and means tor shitting the racl: members to et'- :tect the release of the selected handle.

l2. In a controller, in combination, a plurality of drums, a plurality ot operating handles 'tor the drums, a latch-receiving member carried by a selected drum-operating handle, latches carried by the other handles disposed to engage the latch-receiving member to lock all the handles in any predetermined relation, and means provided on said other handles to operate the latches to release the handles individually.

13. In a controller, in combination, a plurality of drums, a plurality ot operating handles tor the drums, a latch-receiving member carried by a selected drum-operating handle, latches carried by the other handles disposed to engage the latch-receiving member to lock all the handles in any predetermined relation and means provided on said other handles to operate the latches to release the handles individually, said latch-receiving member being slidably mounted thereby to permit its movement to release all ot the operating handles.

ln testimony whereof, ive have hereunto subscribed our names this 19th day of September, 1921.

CHARLES C. VHITTAKER. DONALD C. VEST. 

